Did Saddam really turn down access to nuclear technology?

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

In Section II of this (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/29/magazine/29islam.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)article (registration required), the author makes this statement: "In a twist much stranger than fiction, Saddam Hussein apparently turned down the offer." The author is referring to A.Q. Khan's selling of Pakistan nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea. Is is true that Saddam turned down the offer? If so, when? Did we know this prior to getting into the war?

[griffin1977]

Here is another cite, still not exactly gospel (it quotes unnamed "US officals"):

[quote]
U.S. officials also mentioned Khan’s attempts to sell nuclear secrets to Saddam Hussein and a meeting in Lebanon with a top Syrian government official, the newspaper said. Both countries turned down Khan’s help.
[quote]

As for timing the wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Qadeer_Khan) says these allegations were first made 2002, so yes it is very possible they knew about this before the Iraq Invasion.

[griffin1977]

Sorry like for that first quote was this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4134086/